Blue Eyes
by Jakia
Summary: Children can be so cruel, or so Zuko and Katara realize when their daugher comes home sobbing because she's different...she's the only firebender with blue eyes. [zutara with kids one shot]


**Blue Eyes**

The little Princess came home surly, barely murmured "hello" to her parents, then locked herself in her room and began crying her eyes out.

When asked why Kimi was acting this way, the girl's twin, Kita, had no answer to her parents.

"I dunno." Eight-year-old Kita explained, her gold eyes completely innocent. "She went off to some store by herself while me and Grandpa Iroh went to go get ice cream and when she came back she was all sad." Kita explained. "I dunno what happened."

Zuko and Katara shared a careful look before knocking slowly on Kimi's door.

"Kimi?" Katara asked softly, her hand on the doorknob. "Can we come in, darling?"

"Go _away_!" The young girl cried before continuing with her sobs.

"Kimi," Zuko began, his voice stern. "Open the door."

No response.

"_Now_, young lady."

There was a small patter of feet, a soft _click_ of the door unlocking, and reveled a dark haired girl with tearstained blue eyes and an old (yet favored) stuffed platypus bear in her arms.

Katara frowned before she bent over, picked up the child and carried her to her bed, rocking Kimi gently in her arms. The girl continued her crying, now rather than against a pillow she had her mother's arms to wet with tears as Katara smoothed out her hair, murmuring soft whispers of comfort to her child as she continued to cry. Zuko stayed beside them on the bed, occasionally reaching out and gently stroking his daughter's hair.

"Kimi," He spoke softly. "What's wrong?"

This only caused her to cry harder.

"Kimi, we can't fix it until we know what's wrong." Zuko smiled as Kimi lifted her small head from Katara shoulder, blue eyes still wet and her nose sniffling. She crawled over to Zuko's lap, leaning against her father for warmth.

"Why do I have blue eyes?" She asked softly, sniffing as she did.

Zuko and Katara shared a look, wondering where this conversation would lead. "You have blue eyes because I have blue eyes." Katara answered, staring at her daughter curiously.

"Kita doesn't have blue eyes." Kimi points out quickly, pulling in closer to her father.

"No, she doesn't." Zuko notices. "She has my eyes…why does it matter, Kimi?"

She doesn't answer.

"Tell us what happened, sweetie." Katara said softly, brushing a fallen strand of black hair---firebender hair---out of her daughter's face.

She sniffs. "I just wanted to go look at the toy shop---they had that knew doll I wanted for Summer Solace, and I just wanted to look at it. Well, there were some _boys_ there…" At this, Zuko stiffened, but Katara placed her hand on his arm gently. "…And they saw me and they started teasing me." Her eyes watered slowly. "They said I was a _freak_ cause I's got blue eyes and firebenders are suppose to have yellow eyes like Daddy."

"Who were they?" While his voice is soft in front of daughter, it carries a hidden malice, one that promises death and destruction for whoever it was that made his baby girl cry.

"That doesn't matter right now," And Katara glares at her husband, an unheard warning of _Watch your temper_ flies, and Zuko can tell she's just as angry as he is. "What happened next?"

At this, the eight year old blushes. "I threw fire at them." Her eyes dart away from her father, whom she's expecting to get angry. "I know I'm not suppose to, Daddy, but they made me so _mad_ I couldn't help it!"

Zuko laughs. "Just don't do it again, alright? You could have hurt someone."

Kimi blushes. "I know, I was just mad."

He smiles and kisses her forehead; his little firebender is his pride and joy. "Did anything else happen?"

"No." Kimi answers, feeling just a little silly for being so upset about something so trivial. "After I threw fire at them, I kinda ran off to find Grandpa."

Katara wraps her arms around her daughter and smiles. "Don't you feel better, now that you've told us what happened?"

Kimi nodded. "Yeah, I do." Then she frowned, a sudden thought entering her mind. "But I'm _still_ a freak cause I have blue—"

"You are _not_ a freak." Zuko said firmly. "And don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."

"But no other firebender has blue eyes!" She shrieked, and for a moment looked like she was going to start crying again.

"You have blue eyes because your mother is a waterbender." Katara answered smoothly. "And that makes you unique, not a freak."

"But what if those boys come back and start teasing me again?" Kimi asked, worried.

Zuko grinned. "You throw fire at them."

Katara and Kimi both gasped. "But Daddy, you said I shouldn't…"

"I know what I said." Zuko replied. "And I don't want you going around throwing fire at everyone you meet." He stopped, picking his daughter up off of his lap. "But it sounds to me like a couple of boys need to see how _dangerous_ a blue-eyed firebender can be."

"So only throw fire at boys?" Kimi asked curiously.

"_All_ boys." Zuko answered. "So long as they aren't grown ups. Remember that for the rest of your life and we'll be set." Katara rolled her eyes as Zuko smiled proudly.

"Mkay, Daddy!" She kissed his cheek before turning to her mother. "Can I go play with Kita now?"

"Of course you can—" But Kimi was already out the door.

Zuko laughed as his wife turned to him, her arms crossed. "You've just created a little monster, you know."

"It'll be worth it." Zuko said, wrapping his arms around Katara tightly. "I'll never have to deal with her bringing home boyfriends and such."

Katara's eyes glowed. "Except for Kita. She'll bring home twice as many boys, just for you."

"No." Zuko growled. "Because I'm going to tell her to water-whip any boy that comes within a five-mile radius."

Katara rolled her eyes softly before leaning her head on Zuko's shoulder. "I wonder how long it will be before she comes home crying that she's the only waterbender with gold eyes?"

"Not very long." Zuko said softly. "But they'll get through it. They're strong girls. Just like their mother."

"And their father."

"Damn right they are." Zuko said, stretching.

"Where are you going?" Katara asked curiously as he stood up and put shoes on.

"To find me some boys," He smiled. "And show them what happens when you make fun of the Fire Lord's daughter. Tease _my_ little girl, will you…"

XXX

:end:

PIMPAGE TIME: wildernesswriter's _Dangerous Drabbles_. The second one has gotten me on such a "ooh, let's write about their _kids_!" kick it isn't even funny.

Reviews are treated like chocolate covered chocolate (with a side of chocolate).


End file.
